I'm getting very frustrated by the fact that there seems to be no answer right now.

Or is that someone else’s job?

It's the same reason Democratic turnout is so low on election day.

it is better than it used to be with the new rules...but...

I have been trying to say about Franken that this is NOT he said she said.

This is "guy known for telling the truth, being faithful to his wife, being an all around GREAT guy said, people connected to the worst and most vile rightwing filth on the planet said"

If Franken grabbed this new allegation like she says, he will admit it and apologize. I am pretty sure he will not admit it because it didnt happen.

But it wont matter, the media will take him down along with the party (GOP) that is allowed to abuse women and so on.

He doesn't admit grabbing the woman's ass, but he also does not "attack" the woman, or accuse her of lying.

He's basically saying; I don't remember this, but if I in any way made you feel uncomfortable, I apologize.

It's really fucked-up when you think about it.

For years and years, we've been excoriated to "not blame the victim", "don't claim they have an agenda", "don't look into their background", because "that's why so many claims of sexual harassment, or misconduct are dismissed".

Either purposefully, or accidentally, we've created a "No-Win, Damned if you do, Damned if you don't" soup-sandwich.

- Deny it and attack the woman's agenda or affiliation, and you get murdered for "Attacking, not believing the woman, or worse..."Slut Shaming" her.

- Be a gentleman about it and allow the accuser to present their side or the story, and express regret if your action, innocent as it may be, caused them distress, and your lumped in with a pedophile.

I'd like to think you could count on the Media, but CNN's "investigative" journalism apparently went something like this:

CNN: "may I help you?"

Woman: "Yes, Al Franken grabbed by butt during a photo at the State Fair in 2010"

CNN: "Do you have a copy of the picture"?

Woman: "Yes, but only from the waste up, and I'm smiling an clearly not distressed in the photo"

CNN: "You can't see his hand"?

Woman: "No, you can't see his hand, but I told my husband about it when it happened"

CNN: "Is your husband there"?

Woman: "Yes he's right here"

CNN to husband: "did your wife tell you about this in 2010"?

Husband of Woman: "yes she did, and I think she told her mom also"


CNN BREAKING NEWS: SENATOR AL FRANKEN GRABBED WOMAN'S BUTT DURING PHOTO IN 2010
-Husband corroborates story.

That should be the response to such an allegation?

here believe the rightwing shit...

I wish there was a rule against that.

know how to play the game...but you have to wonder when the same folks come out time and time again to pile on Democrats...what motivates them?

Stubborn? Lazy?

George Lakoff tells how conservatives use language to dominate politics.

https://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2003/10/27_lakoff.shtml

the facts. Dems are more likely to understate, especially until something is certain. Academics often argue our points, while Sean Hannitys scream and demigod Repubs.
Repubs grab anything they can and loudly proclaim it as TRUTH, over and over, pounding it in.
These are obvious generalizations, but I observe it often.
CNN, after contributing to Hillary's loss, has done an about face, and often questions Repub assertions.

to mean he didnt, and then I will believe him.

This isnt over, more liars are coming. And not just after Al.

They see how easy this is, make an accusation, have no proof, and the idiots and the media are off to the races.

Works every time .

many holes in the accusations against Al that I wish I had them on the witness stand for cross examination. I would LOVE that.

Dems should've been ahead of the curve about analytics, etc. But...

In general, the dems have a lot of catching up to do when it comes to having a unified message, talking points etc.

It's disappointing and inexcusable.

And we need to end that, but even the smallest towns and their skimpiest basic cable systems will carry Fox News and right-wing radio is always accessible as well. That is by design.
I have been paying close attention to those calling for a Senate Ethics investigation into Sen. Franken mostly know what they are doing. They (most anyway) seem to know that the political hit job won't survive an inquiry and that is why they are asking. It is actually pretty savvy. This applies to both Democrats and Republicans who have called for one. It is the best way to end false allegations and to sort out who has credibility and who does not.
I hope a giant spotlight winds up exposing the scurrying cockroaches: Stone, Hannity, Bannon and their ilk.

Democrats care about the facts and the truth, examining an issue to determine what is factual and indeed true, not adhering blindly to sanctioned political doctrine and dogma.

Republicans don’t care about facts and the truth – they adhere blindly to their political doctrine and dogma.

They’ve become masters of rushing to judgment, of contriving lies and misinformation and quickly propagating those lies and misinformation in the hope that both are perceived to be ‘true.’

A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.

Republicans’ propensity for lying and contriving misinformation given them the advantage to control the narrative – even though that narrative is a lie.

and wife holding up money prints. Also, they should show her naming the cost of her clothing and her Marie Antoinette tweets in front of US aircraft.

We don't take up the fight until it looks like the Repubs are winning, and it is often too late, IMO. We are careful not to come down harder than the Repubs, so we undershoot.
As Anna Navarro (R), but liberalish, said once, "mushy
words."

the fight and vociferously challenging every damn thing Republicans say or do. Letting Rs slide by with scarcely more than some pro forma hand wringing only gives them a free pass to normalise their crazy, mad schemes.

Democratic leaders accomplish nothing when they go silent, when they stand aside and let Republicans trash progressive policies and glorify their own bizarro ideas to transfer wealth from the poor to the rich. Until every Democrat in Congress is queueing up for daily interviews to point out the insane differences between the two parties, nothing will change, there will be no progressive movement going forward because the public cannot hear our message if no one in the Democratic Party is speaking.

the current Democratic party has a real problem and it's not just being a minority party -- that's more of a symptom.

we need someone to step up like Sen. Obama did in 2006, with an sterling record of achievement and no "shady business" from the past to taint their record. the GOP is intent on destroying Sen. Franken because he could have performed at least some of the duties while we wait for the next real leader to emerge. now he's thoroughly discredited - wouldn't be surprised if he bows out in the next MN senate election, and the Democrats lost another strong personality to scandal.

don't get me wrong - even the best Democratic leader is open to various forms of attack, but the right person will only be open to obviously specious calumny: President Obama withstood the "birtherism" bullshit because it was obviously and transparently weak, not because the rw didn't push it as hard as they could.

and no, this isn't a job anyone can do. needs to be a person with exceptional organizing skills and charisma, to go along with their unimpeachable background.

this points to a rarified subset of people, but we have millions of members, and thousands of elected office holders, so there are at least a handful who could step up to run point. we don't know who they are yet, maybe they don't know yet. but i'm pretty sure they exist. if we are to survive as a nation, some of them must activate very soon and provide a unifying center for resistance efforts.

Something happens or is impending.
People complain about Dem leadership not leading.
Dem leadership and their boosters say "You don't understand. Let us/them handle things. We/they got this!"
Failure or loss of narrative occurs.
Dem leadership and their boosters respond "Well why didn't YOU do something to help?"

Rinse, dry, repeat.

Here's one;

How many times have we been literally (not figuratively) told that we shouldn't do this or that because it might rock the boat? I've lost count.

I have shared this several times. One trick pony, me perhaps?

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="

not is secondary

, Machiavellian assholes who go through life thinking 10 steps ahead "how ca I get what the fuck I want out of this?" while D's live divided between the moment and long term vision about "how can I/we make this world a better place for everyone?"